July 24, 2024 Leave a Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: How do I Handle my New Difficult Boss?

Dear Joanna,

I have been working at the same company as an administrative assistant for almost six years with the same supervisor. She recently retired, and it was a sad day for me and my colleagues as she was an inspiring, competent leader who knew how to train, motivate and respect her team.

I have recently been assigned a new boss who likes to micromanage and has a tendency to be distant and punitive. I feel like quitting my job that I love, where I am a top performer as well.

How do I handle this new boss?

Signed: New Boss Problem (NBP)

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July 24, 2024 2 Comments

Ask the Employment Specialist: Why Can’t I Keep a Job?

Dear Joanna,

I have been fired three times from different organizations as an Event Coordinator. I’ve lasted for the probation period of three months. Afterwards, I am told by the managers that the fit is not good and am instructed to pack my belongings and leave on the spot.

Why is this happening to me? I have all of the qualifications, technical skills, core competencies and requirements for the job without a question. I meet my deadlines, and feedback from the event participants is glowing. Needless to say, these experiences are destroying my self-confidence. I would be grateful for your input on my situation before I secure another job offer and end up with the same endings.

Signed: Fired For No Reason (FFNR)

Dear FFNR,

I admire your honesty and effort to get to the bottom of this painful situation. According to a recent New York Times article by Susan Dominus, two of the core competencies and skills that employers are looking for are communication and collaboration. Many of my employers tell me that an employee is hired for his/her technical skills; but fired for his/her soft skills.

Even Virgin Company’s Richard Branson, in his recent article on LinkedIn about how he hires states that there is nothing more important for a business than hiring the right team. If you get the perfect mix of people working for your company, you have a far greater chance of success. He adds that the first thing he looks for when searching for a great employee is somebody with a personality that fits with the company culture. Concurring with most leading employers, Branson says that “Most skills can be learned, but it is difficult to train people on their personality. If you can find people who are fun, friendly, caring and love helping others, you are on to a winner.”

Consider the recommendations that Branson makes to employers: he suggests that considering the fact that within three months employees usually know the duties and responsibilities of a position, if an employer is satisfied with the personality of the new employee, then they should look at experience and expertise. He recommends that employers look for candidates with transferable skills: “team players who can pitch in and try their hand at all sorts of different jobs. While specialists are sometimes necessary, versatility should not be underestimated”.

Unfortunately employers do not need a reason to fire you unless you are in a unionised environment or employment contract, posits Alison Doyle on JobSearch.About.com. She presents top 10 reasons why employees are fired. Perhaps you can assess yourself honestly and evaluate your own experiences at your former places of employment:

Lying on the resume or job application. Did you have the level of skills, qualifications and experience for the job?
Not getting along with co-workers or management.
Inappropriate posts on social media sites.
Insubordination. Are you talking back to your manager? Are you showing any signs of anger at work at your team or manager?
Stealing.
Poor performance. This doesn’t sound like you from your letter above, but be honest with yourself — employees often overrate their performance.
Damaging company property.
Falsifying company records. Are you making serious mistakes in your work? Are your events missing significant logistics? Are you neglecting important details with the customers or event participants that you are overlooking? Have you received any feedback over the three months that you are, indeed, making mistakes?
Drug or alcohol possession at work.
Violating company policy. When you started working, did you review company policies and procedures and make sure you understood them as well as adhere to this? Typically, all companies have employee handbooks with this information; you can also ask the Human Resources department for clarification.

Sometimes there are cases of employees being wrongfully terminated. Getting fired can happen to anyone, including myself! You can get fired even when it’s not your fault. Given that you have been fired three times after the probation period is over, I would suggest that you have an honest talk with yourself and/or find an experienced employment counsellor to get some feedback on your work behaviour. I would do as soon as possible to prevent being fired again.

Best wishes for your next job,

Joanna

July 24, 2024 1 Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: Do you have any tips on giving and receiving feedback at work?

Dear Joanna,

I have been receiving ongoing feedback from my manager regarding a recent report that I submitted to her in my role as Office Manager. On one hand, she says to me “Good report; I suggest that you modify sections A and B”. The next time, she simply states “This is no good. Try it this way.” I am so confused and honestly, I’m quite hurt. I don’t understand what I am doing wrong? Then again, maybe my work is just fine! I cannot figure her out and whether this is positive or negative feedback or just plain criticism.

Am I misunderstanding her because of cultural differences between us? Do you have any tips on giving and receiving feedback at work in Canada?

Signed: Feedback Tips (FT)

Dear FT:

Sometimes it is difficult to understand the feedback that you get from employers in a Canadian workplace analyzing what they mean can definitely be a challenge. I will refer to Lionel Laroche, an expert in intercultural communications as well as to JVS Toronto’s Canadian Workplace Communication program that helps internationally trained and experienced professionals from the architecture/design, IT and banking, finance and accounting sectors. This information is relevant to any employee who is facing workplace challenges, such as giving and receiving feedback.

An important part of communicating successfully in any workplace is the ability to give and receive feedback in the form of constructive criticism. In workplace environments where team work is common, the exchange of ideas, reviewing and revising work plans and reports, and debating strategies are part of everyone’s daily activities.

People perceive feedback differently. Some are more sensitive than others; they may also have difficulty giving feedback because they feel they are criticizing someone. Yet, feedback plays a crucial part in the Canadian workplace. Employees are expected to share ideas, give input, and give feedback on team projects.

Some tips in dealing with negative feedback:

1. Listen carefully and know when to recognize negative feedback.

There is a tendency in Canada to mask negative feedback with positive comments in order to ‘soften the blow’. This form of negative feedback is rarely found in other cultures. In Canada, (and among many English-speaking cultures) it might be the first warning you receive that indicates you are having performance issues that need to be addressed. You will need to learn to hear the negative comment and correct your actions before your boss has to come to address it again. Failure to understand that you are being giving negative feedback will likely be perceive by your boss as an inability to follow direction. This is could be considered good reasons for termination.

2. Analyze the feedback: Analyze the feedback statements you receive in terms of these 3 Negative Feedback Categories:

a. The Sandwich (the positive-negative-positive statement)

This type of negative feedback statement is often the first you will hear from your boss. Because it is masked with two positive comments, it is easy to think that you are actually being praised when in fact the opposite is happening. For example:

“I really like how you have structured this report, but there are a few oversights I’d like you to address. Great first effort!”
“I am really impressed with how much you have learned since you started last week, but a few concerns have arisen regarding the way you deal with clients.It seems that you tend to take a rather brisk tone with people and we’ll need you to soften that up a bit. As you are such a great salesperson, I am sure some of that talent can be applied to dealing with difficult clients as well.”

b. The Open-faced Sandwich (the negative-positive statement)

This will likely be the form of the second warning coming from the boss. The negative feedback will still be masked with positive comments but will likely be a little more prominent.

“I see you are still having some difficulties with the processes surrounding reporting. As you have such a developed sense of detail, I am sure that if you focus a little more attention on the particulars, things will come together just fine.”
“We have received a few complaints about your briskness with clients. I know it’s hard to deal with disgruntled clients but I’d like you to try to soften your approach somewhat. How about using that great sense of humour you have to keep things a little more diplomatic?

c. Just the Meat (a direct negative statement)

If you hear your boss giving you purely negative feedback, then you can be sure that you are in big trouble. There is a good chance that there will be serious consequences, termination being one of them, if you do not address the problem immediately.

“Your reporting is consistently not meeting the standards of this organization. I have given you a number of warnings but have not seen an improvement. If am afraid I have to report this problem to upper management.”
“Your manner of dealing with clients is not appropriate. I have warned you a number of times but you have not made any effort to improve. This is your last warning.”

4. Use the Right Words for the Right Situations.

Watch out for the particular words which are used in negative situations. Look at the term “Performance Issues” as an example. This is a formalized way of saying you are not doing your job up to the standards of the organization, and are at risk of losing your job. The word ‘issue’ is being used instead of ‘problem’ which is a stronger and more direct word that more clearly describes the situation. Canadians instead choose the word ‘issue’ to be more politically correct, because it is considered too harsh and personal to say that someone has performance problems.

Using the word ‘problem’ in the wrong situation can make everyone believe that things are really wrong, even when they are not. As a result, it is important to learn how to use the right word in the right situation, as well as to understand the real meaning of a word you are hearing as it applies to feedback you are being given.

5. Check-in and qualify.

You can always ask your manager for a 5-minute meeting just to make sure that you are on the same page regarding your performance. BE OPEN to any feedback; this could be a learning opportunity for you to gain more information, skills and knowledge required for the position.

FT, there is no harm in asking your manager to email you the feedback and what she would like to be improved. You can use this information as a list of areas to improve and start implementing this in your work. The ability to take charge with clarifying your manager’s feedback will be perceived as a sign of a good leader.

Best of success with your job,

Joanna

October 30, 2018 Leave a Comment

You’ve been hired! Make the most of your new job.

Woman shaking the hand of a new colleague

It’s thrilling to accept a new job and finally meet your job search goal. You’ll be earning an income and stepping into the professional world again. But starting a new job has its challenges. You may feel doubts about performing all the job duties as required, or have concerns about getting along with your new colleagues and clients. And then there’s the challenge of establishing new routines like commuting and family and home responsibilities. Adjusting to a new job is stressful!

Here are some strategies to ease the stress when starting a new job.

Say thank you before you start

Think back to all the people who helped you get the new position, like the person who referred you to the vacancy, your references and professional network. These people are valuable connections you’ll want to keep. Start by sending a personalized thank you message to each to acknowledge their support, and then maintain contact through LinkedIn.

Listen carefully

The most successful way to learn your new duties is by listening, observing, asking questions and taking notes. You’ll learn a great deal about a company by watching how tasks are approached, the preferred types of formal and informal communication, and the daily interactions between colleagues. This is especially true to understand your new company culture and organizational structure.

Introduce yourself

Don’t wait for introductions from others. Introduce yourself to your peers as you go and join others for lunch or for coffee. Smile and make eye contact as you meet people. Treat everyone the way you’d like to be treated. You never know who you’ll need on the job. Continue to build your network and invite your new colleagues to connect through LinkedIn.

Be enthusiastic and proactive

Follow the direction you’ve been given during any training. Ask questions, especially if you’re unclear about anything. Ask for procedures so you understand routines and schedules. Even if you are provided with reference material, there may be some informal practices that are followed. Build a rapport with your co-workers who can be additional sources of information about company processes. When your work load is low, ask to help with a task (no matter how small) or to attend a meeting or activity to observe and learn. This will show a willingness contribute and be part of a team. It will also pave the way to contribute your ideas and possible improvements later in the job.

Set goals

As you learn your new job, be aware of your progress, areas you need to deepen your knowledge on, and opportunities for future professional development. This will keep you focused on growing in your role and ensure you maintain positive performance levels.

Remember

Getting the job is only the first step. Starting your new job with a planned approach will help you integrate into the company and set you up for long-term success.

July 25, 2016 Leave a Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: Apologizing at work

Dear Joanna,

I am a new immigrant who is an internationally trained Java Developer. Within a couple of months after I arrived, I secured work in my field at a small boutique IT company. I am part of a team of 10 with a project manager and employees from other related professions. Many of the employees are constantly apologizing. This is opposite from the workplace culture that I come from. “I am sorry” seems to be a common phrase. My boss says it is typical Canadian cultural way of communication.

Maybe I too should be apologizing. Am I missing the cues? Please can you guide me with this intercultural communication issue.

Signed: Sorry is never too late (SNL)

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